Machines for forming pads or padding from textile or other fibres



Jan. 30, 1962 A. E. CALLAGHAN 3,019,151

MACHINES FOR FORMING PADS 0R PADDING FROM TEXTILE OR OTHER FIBRE-S 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed May 11, 1959 OR Aumu E. CALLAGHAN lNyEN-r BY ATTORNEY Jan. 30, 1962 CALLAGHAN A. E. MACHINES FOR FORMING TEXTILE OR OTHER FIBRES Filed May 11, 1959 PADS OR PADDING FROM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ALBERT E. CALLAGHAN BY WM ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice ngland, assignor to Birfield Engineering Limited, London, England Filed May 11, 1959, Ser. No. 812,293 4 Claims. (Cl. 156--375) This invention relates to machines for forming pads or padding from textile or other fibres.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved machine for the production of padding from fibres.

In order to enable the invention to be readily understood reference is directed, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a part-sectional and partly diagrammatic elevation illustrating one form of the machine, and

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of FIGURE 1 omitting certain parts.

In the drawings, the machine comprises a frame supporting a blower 11 at one end and a vibratory tray 12 at the other end. From the delivery of the blower, which suitably is driven by an electric motor (not shown), a taper duct 13, which alternatively may be flaring or of uniform cross-section, leads to the entry end of the tray 12. The duct may be fitted with an adjustable louvre 14 to control or direct the blast from the blower 11. In the duct a spray nozzle 15 or the like may be arranged to deliver a treatment agent into the blast.

The tray 12 has upstanding sides and is mounted on swingable links 16 so that it may be given slight oscillatory movements by an eccentric 17 driven from an electric motor 18, so as to convey material forwardly in the tray. The drive by the eccentric 17 may be at the inlet end of the tray 12, as shown, or at the outlet end or intermediately. The tray is fitted with an internal cover 19, which, if desired, may be capable of adjustment to different levels in the tray. The latter may deliver on to an endless travelling apron device or to other desired location.

In operation, the textile or other fibres, for example coir, horsehair or hogs hair, flax, wool, cotton, jute, sisal, string or rope or like fibres or fibre glass, in loose condition, are fed to the entry to the blower from a suitable hopper or feed box 20 so that they are carried in the air blast from the delivery 21 of the blower and through the duct 13 leading to the vibratory tray 12. The feed to 20 is suitably regulated, for example by any standard automatic feeder, to provide even and constant flow to the blower inlet through the duct 22. In the duct 13, the fibres may be subjected to the action of the treatment agent supplied through the nozzle 15 and which may be a liquid or other bonding agent for the fibres, for instance artificial resin or rubber latex, or it may be an oil or a dye or other chemical. Under the action of the blast, and the spray, this agent is impinged on the fibres while the latter are actually in flight. The fibres are carried by the blast into the vibratory tray 12 beneath the aforesaid cover 19. At an appropriate distance along the tray a baflie (not shown) may be placed, for example across the delivery end of the tray, to form a barrier causing the treated fibres to build up to a sufiicient amount to balance the blower blast. The baflle is then removed whereupon, with constant maintenance of the oscillatory operation of the vibratory tray 12, a continuous length of fibre padding will be formed and fed forward in the tray and delivered on to the endless apron device or other location as aforesaid and may thereafter be guillotined into separate lengths or pads suitable, for example, for mak- 3,019,151 Patented Jan. 30, 1962 ing or stutfing mattresses and cushions. Or, it may be delivered to machinery for other or further processing, for instance to be made up into rope. Successive pads can alternatively be formed, if desired, by intermittent feed of the fibres or the like to the blower 11 and successive applications of the aforesaid bathe in the vibratory tray 12. The thickness of the pad or pads may be varied by adjustment of the louvre 14 aforesaid and of the level of the cover 19 in the tray as will be understood. The cover would be vented, i.e:. it would have an aperture or apertures at some point before that at which the build up of the padding or pads takes place, in order to allow for release of the air pressure which is continually building ilp the padding being formed in the tray.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiment above particularly described because modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, other ways may be adopted for applying the treatment agent to the fibres. Thus, it may be supplied to the blower so as to become incorporated into the blast therefrom, or sprinkling devices for this agent could be arranged over the first part of the oscillatory tray, as shown at 23 in FIGURE 1, or a combination of the means described may be adapted.

According to another modfication. a suction box such as 24, FIGURE 1, may be applied over the first part of the oscillatory tray 12, or over the aforesaid aperture or apertures in the tray cover 19, for removal of dust and more ready release of air from the pads or padding being formed in the tray. In that event if, as may be, the machine has an overall cover 25, FIGURE 1, for the tray, this cover would be made perforate beneath the suction box 24 as indicated, for instance, at the broken-away part of this box. Suction may conveniently be set up in this box 24 by connecting it through ducting 26, and preferably by way of a duct or fibre separating device 27, with the inlet of the blower 11.

The travelling apron device is not an essential part of the machine though it is useful for directing the delivered treated material to appropriate means for further processing. Before being delivered by the travelling apron device to machinery for further processing, the treated material may be directed by this apron device to a drying oven if necessary in any particular case.

I claim:

1. A machine for forming fibres into padding comprising a blower, means to deliver fibres to the blower, a duct leading away from the blower and terminating remote from the blower in a delivery end, a tray adjacent to the delivery end of the duct to receive fibres delivered along the duct by the blower, upstanding sides on the tray, :1 vented cover for the tray extending between said upstanding sides, the duct delivering the fibres to the tray between the sides and beneath the cover, and means to vibrate the tray to consolidate the fibres delivered thereto into padding and to move the latter towards a delivery point.

A machine for forming fibres into padding comprising a blower, means to deliver fibres to the blower, a duct leading away from the blower and terminating remote from the blower in a delivery end, a tray adjacent to the delivery end of the duct to receive fibres delivered along the duct by the blower, upstanding sides on the tray, a vented cover between said upstanding sides, the duct delivering the fibres to the tray between the sides and beneath the cover, a suction box located above and in sealing engagement with the vented cover, a further duct connecting said suction box to the blower inlet, and means to vibrate the tray to consolidate the fibres delivered thereto into padding and to move the latter towards a delivery point.

3. A machine for forming. fibres into padding comprising a blower, means to deliver fibres to the blower, a duct leading awayfrom the blower and terminating remote from the blower in a delivery end, a rectangular tray adjacent to the delivery end of the duct to receive fibres delivered along the duct by the blower, upstanding side members on the tray which define opposed open ends, a vented cover for the tray extending between said upstanding side members, the duct delivering the fibres to the tray between the side members at one of said ends and beneath the cover, a suction box located above and in sealing engagement with the vented cover, a further duct connecting said suction box to the blower inlet, swing links suspending the tray for oscillation in directions parallel to said side members, and means to oscillate the tray in said directions to consolidate the fibres into padding and to move the latter towards the other of said ends of the tray.

4. A machine for forming fibres into padding comprising a blower, means to deliver fibres to the blower, a duct leading away from the blower and terminating remote from the blower in a delivery end, means in said duct to introduce a treatment agent to the fibres passing along the duct, a tray adjacent to the delivery end of the duct to receive fibres delivered along the duct by the blower, upstanding sides on the tray, a vented cover between said upstanding sides, the duct delivering the fibres to the tray between the sides and beneath the cover, a suction box located above and in sealing engagement with the vented cover, a further duct connecting said suction box to the blower inlet, and means to vibrate the tray to consolidate the fibres delivered thereto into padding and to move the latter towards a delivery point.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,756,468 Moller Apr. 29, 1930 2,195,158 Watts Mar. 26, 1940 2,398,831 Hoffman Apr. 23, 1946 2,493,194 Heino Jan. 3, 1950 2,510,229 Joa June 6, 1950 2,618,816 Joa Nov. 25, 1952 2,646,381 Duvall July 21, 1953 2,689,597 Kinnear Sept. 21, 1954 2,700,796 Roman Feb. 1, 1955 

1. A MACHINE FOR FORMING FIBRES INTO PADDING COMPRISING A BLOWER, MEANS TO DELIVER FIBRES TO THE BLOWER, A DUCT LEADING AWAY FROM THE BLOWER AND TERMINATING REMOTE FROM THE BLOWER IN A DELIVERY END, A TRAY ADJACENT TO THE DELIVERY END OF THE DUCT TO RECEIVE FIBRES DELIVERED ALONG THE DUCT BY THE BLOWER, UPSTANDING SIDES, ON THE TRAY, A VENTED COVER FOR THE TRAY EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID UPSTANDING SIDES, THE DUCT DELIVERING THE FIBRES TO THE TRAY BETWEEN THE SIDES AND BENEATH THE COVER, AND MEANS TO VIBRATE THE TRAY TO CONSOLIDATE THE FIBRES DELIVERED THERETO INTO PADDING AND TO MOVE THE LATTER TOWARDS A DELIVERY POINT. 